Scott Joplin Quotes & Sayings

One day the 'Maple Leaf' will make me King of Ragtime Composers. — Scott Joplin

Because it has such a ragged movement. It suggests something like that. — Scott Joplin

What is scurrilously called ragtime is an invention that is here to stay. That is now conceded by all classes of musicians ... All publication s masquerading under the name of ragtime are not the genuine article ... That real ragtime of the higher class is rather difficult to play is a painful truth which most pianists have discovered. Syncopations are no indication of light or trashy music ... Joplin ragtime is destroyed by careless or imperfect rendering, and very often players lost the effect entirely by playing too fast. — Scott Joplin

Marching onward, marching onward
Marching to that lovely tune
Marching onward, marching onward
Happy as a bird in June

Sliding onward, sliding onward
Listen to that rag
Hop and skip now do that slow, oh
Do that slow drag

Dance slowly, prance slowly
Now you hear that pretty rag
Dance slowly, prance slowly
Now you do the real slow drag

Waltz slowly, waltz slowly
Listen to the ragtime
Hop and skip
Now do the slow, oh, do the slow drag — Scott Joplin

Let me see you do the 'rag time dance' ...
Turn left and do the 'Cake walk prance' ...
Turn the other way and do the 'Slow drag' ...
Now take your lady to the world's fair ( ... )
And do the 'rag time dance.' — Scott Joplin

When I'm dead twenty-five years, people are going to begin to recognize me. — Scott Joplin

Syncopations are no indication of light or trashy music, and to shy bricks at 'hateful ragtime' no longer passes for musical culture. — Scott Joplin

It is never right to play ragtime fast. — Scott Joplin